What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Operating Officer position at Energy America?
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER (COO)
Energy America – Executive Leadership
Location: USA (California, Texas, Detroit, Louisiana, Georgia, Pennsylvania)
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Board of Directors
Department: Executive – Global Operations
Status: Full-Time, Executive Leadership
⸻
POSITION SUMMARY
The Chief Operations Officer (COO) is the senior executive responsible for leading Energy America’s global operational footprint—including U.S. solar module manufacturing, power-plant EPC execution, supply chain, quality, logistics, compliance, and overall operational excellence.
The COO ensures the successful execution of Energy America’s multi-GW U.S. manufacturing expansion, NASA-aligned engineering commercialization via Centauri, and Ganymede Utilities’ EPC operations, while maintaining the highest standards of FEOC compliance, domestic-content qualification, U.S. federal regulation, and global operational performance.
This role is central to Energy America’s transformation into a national and global leader in American-made solar, storage, and hybrid power-plant solutions.
⸻
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Executive Leadership & Operational Strategy
• Lead enterprise-wide operations across manufacturing, EPC, logistics, engineering, supply chain, QA/QC, and O&M.
• Build and execute multi-year operational roadmaps that align with NASA partnerships, domestic manufacturing expansion, and global project development initiatives.
• Drive operational scalability for 5GW U.S. production capacity and international expansion.
2. Manufacturing Oversight (USA Domestic Operations)
• Oversee solar module production facilities across Detroit, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and future expansion sites.
• Ensure cost-efficient, high-volume production of 400W–750W solar modules, including NASA-licensed and Centauri-developed technologies.
• Implement UL, IEC, CSA, ETL, and NREL-tested quality frameworks.
3. EPC & Power Plant Operations – Ganymede Utilities
• Manage development-to-construction operations for utility-scale solar, hybrid solar storage, microgrids, and BESS power plants.
• Lead construction performance, engineering execution, and project delivery to NTP and COD.
• Ensure compliance with national interconnection standards (CAISO, ERCOT, MISO, PJM, SPP, NYISO, ISO-NE).
4. Supply Chain, FEOC Compliance & Domestic Content
• Oversee sourcing strategies that ensure all modules and systems comply with:
• Made in USA
• IRA §45X and §48C requirements
• 8.8%/45%/52% domestic content thresholds
• FEOC-free supply chain standards
• Build supplier relationships across U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, and allied manufacturing regions.
5. Technology Integration (Centauri NASA-Aligned R&D)
• Oversee commercialization of NASA-licensed selenium interlayer solar cell technology and next-generation module designs.
• Integrate graphene-enhanced and space-derived technologies into mass production.
• Support the TRL-6 → TRL-9 progression for NASA commercialization and implementation into solar, BESS, and hybrid systems.
6. Global Logistics & Operational Infrastructure
• Lead national logistics partnerships and multi-state distribution hubs.
• Oversee inbound/outbound materials, warehousing, traceability, labeling, pallet control, and quality of transport.
• Ensure UFLPA compliance and QR-coded traceability for all U.S.-built modules.
7. Quality & Compliance Oversight
• Maintain enterprise-level quality systems and certifications across all product lines.
• Oversee legal, regulatory, and safety compliance including OSHA, EPA, DOE, NERC, NFPA-70E, and federal procurement requirements.
• Develop and implement operational risk mitigation systems.
8. Financial & Operational Performance
• Work directly with the CFO on OPEX optimization, CAPEX planning, budgeting, forecasting, and efficiency-improvement programs.
• Build enterprise dashboards and operational KPIs for executive reporting.
• Support investor reviews, technical due diligence, and manufacturing performance audits.
9. Organizational Leadership
• Build and lead high-performance teams across Manufacturing, EPC, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, R&D Integration, and Logistics.
• Establish SOPs, governance structures, escalation frameworks, and operational discipline.
• Lead workforce growth across U.S. manufacturing sites and field operations.
10. Strategic Partnerships & Federal Engagement
• Represent Energy America with NASA, DOE, DOD, utilities, state agencies, large EPC partners, and national stakeholders.
• Lead federal program engagement, including manufacturing incentives, research partnerships, and infrastructure development.
⸻
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, or related field.
• 15 years of senior operational leadership in renewable energy, manufacturing, EPC, or large-scale infrastructure.
• Proven track record managing multi-site operations and >$250M budgets.
• Strong understanding of U.S. utility-scale solar/BESS development, EPC, and module manufacturing.
• Deep knowledge of domestic-content rules, FEOC compliance, IRA-related incentives, and U.S. regulatory frameworks.
• Experience leading large engineering, operations, and manufacturing teams.
⸻
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• MBA or advanced technical degree.
• Experience integrating NASA or federal laboratory technologies.
• Prior leadership of EPC projects >200MW.
• Understanding of carbon-credit markets, U.S. tax-equity structures, and financing mechanisms.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification (Green/Black Belt).
⸻
KEY COMPETENCIES
• Executive decision-making & operational leadership
• Multi-site/large-scale operational management
• EPC & manufacturing execution excellence
• Financial acumen and strategic planning
• Strong cross-functional collaboration
• Federal/regulatory navigation capability
• Crisis, risk, and compliance management
• High integrity and accountability
⸻
WHY ENERGY AMERICA
• Lead America’s next-generation clean energy operations
• Drive multi-GW manufacturing expansion nationwide
• Oversee NASA-derived solar and storage commercialization
• Influence U.S. domestic-content–driven clean energy leadership
• Shape the future of global renewable infrastructure